E. R. Punshon (1872–1956)

Within Uncanny Stories there are certainly no masterpieces of the genre, but this 1916 anthology culled from Novel magazine, the first British all-fiction pulp magazine, does provide some entertaining eerie and mysterious tales. The straightforward stories, which may seem derivative but are more likely early versions of plotlines oft-imitated over the past hundred years, are reminiscent of those found in The Twilight Zone and Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery comic books that readers of a show more certain age and ilk will fondly remember. show less

A very silly book, but I enjoyed it. At first we know that Robert Dunne, who is is someone else disguised with a great deal of hair, is investigating the death of his friend Charley. Robert has turned up at Bittermeads, a country house inhabited by the smiling chess champion and master criminal, Deede Dawson, Dawson's ineffectual wife, and his beautiful stepdaughter, Ella.

Is Ella a goodie or a baddie? Did she know what was in the mysterious packing case? Why was there a completely show more irrelevant brawl in the first chapter? What on earth is going on here?

Eventually Punshon gives us an important piece of information, so suddenly we not only understand what's been going on for the first three-quarters of the book, but instantly guess what's about to happen and who the murderer is. show less

Fine enough mystery, found myself chuckling out loud at a few points although it's not a "funny" book exactly. It's cleverly constructed in having 2 seemingly distinct strands that get linked together well but there's a bit too much padding of the "wow this mystery is truly very mysterious" kind. The conclusion is satisfying enough. Not particularly notable but probably a little better than the average golden age mystery type.

A prominent financier is murdered in his own home, his safe rifled, and at the same time, there's indications of massive embezzlement at his solicitors. How does it all fit together? Trying to fit it together is a University-graduate constable, who is very keen to get on with the C.I.D. The C.I.D. man is a bit annoying, and has a stock phrase he likes to rattle off, and even the hero of the story can be a bit grating with his ambition. Not many to root for in this story, and I wasn't show more particularly happy with the solution, which came a bit out of nowhere -- at least the murder part. The robbery part was simple. Oh, yes. Hamlet figures into this, too. Rather ham-fistedly. show less